


Five Times Regis and Noctis Talked About Prompto, And the One Time Regis and Prompto Talked About Noctis

by littlemiss_m



Series: people talk about things in this (but not prompto because he's a dumbass) [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: 5+1 Things, Awkward Romance, Coming Out, Engagement, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Idiots in Love, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-07-10 17:32:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15954170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlemiss_m/pseuds/littlemiss_m
Summary: What it says on the tin, take two.(Noctis pines, Prompto is oblivious, Regis is just happy his son his happy.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go again! This is going to be the last part in this series and though it's not necessary to read the previous parts, I would still recommend at least skimming through them.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Noctis has a new friend.

It took months before Noctis began to mention his new friend in Regis' presence. After the first talks with Ignis, Regis had chosen to wait until Noctis came to him with the matter; with how little privacy they were afforded, such small gestures often felt like the grandest gifts of all time. Regis didn't blindly close his eyes in his son's presence, slyly watching for gradually widening smiles and other signs of a happier attitude, but he didn't push either. He didn't need to worry about this Prompto Argentum; he had passed the formal background checks and earned Ignis' stamp of approval, and that, together with Noctis' changing mood, was all the information Regis truly needed.

When Noctis finally mentioned his friend in a conversation, Regis knew it was because he was ready, not because he had to.

”So, uh, I know Specs has probably been talking to you,” Noctis murmured, poking at his plate in a very overt but equally futile attempt at separating the grilled mackerel from the salad. ”But I have. A friend. At school.”

Regis nodded. They were eating dinner together in a private dining room, with no-one around to hear them converse. Ever since Noctis had moved out of the Citadel, their daily meetings had diminished in number to bi-weekly dinners, at first on Mondays and Fridays, but as of late, the second dinner of the week had been moved to Saturdays or Sundays more often than not. Regis didn't need Ignis' input to understand why; he'd been the one to sign Prompto's security clearance forms after others had done all the hard work for him. 

”So I've heard,” he said calmly, glancing up from his starter. ”Ignis is quite fond of the boy, already.”

A small, pleased smile spread on Noctis' face. ”Everybody likes Prompto,” he said, more than a little proud; then he sobered and sighed. ”Except that, uh, he's a Niff. And some people don't like that.”

”I am aware,” Regis commented. Xenophobia ran deep in the city, with people of Niff origin getting the brunt of it. Other than sripting laws and acting as an example, there was very little he could do about the matter. ”He's in your class, isn't he?”

The diversion seemed to work as Noctis nodded, a bit shy and embarrassed, but that was him being his usual distant self; Regis knew better than to expect openness from him. ”Yeah, except for math,” Noctis replied. ”He's been helping me with my homework a lot.”

Regis nodded, smiling. ”I did see your latest report card,” he said, pausing to sip at his water. ”Ignis was very quick to tell me I was wrong in praising him for your success.”

Noctis laughed. ”I know Specs is super smart, but it's a really good thing he didn't go into teaching math,” he joked, causing Regis to join him in laughter. ”Prompto's great at explaining even the most difficult things so I can understand them better.”

”It sounds like you enjoy having him around, then,” Regis commented. He cut off a piece of mackerel, and when he looked up from his plate once more, he saw Noctis blushing.

”Yeah,” Noctis murmured, eyes flicking up and down; for all the nerves he was showcasing at the moment, he didn't look displeased over it. ”It's just – nice, I guess, having someone who's... I like Iggy and Gladio but...”

He trailed off but Regis didn't need any further explanations to understand the matter. He, too, had grown up surrounded by people chosen for him – Clarus and Weskham the most obvious answers, but Cid and Cor to an extent as well – and though some of these people had become like brothers to him, their relationships still lacked that sense of freedom. Clarus especially was bound to his side – his life – far more profoundly than he felt he had any rights to be asking for. For those of his name and blood this was a curse as much as it was a blessing, and Regis truly did understand.

”But Prompto is someone you chose on your own – someone who chose you as well,” he said. ”Either way, I am very happy hear you've finally made yourself a friend, son.”

Noctis ducked his head but the curtain of his hair wasn't enough to hide the pleased smile on his face. ”Yeah, me too,” he murmured, both tone and expression unusually open and unguarded. For a brief moment, Regis just watched him, taking in the soft joy shining through the red dusting his cheeks, and wondered if he had ever looked the same while thinking about his friends. He loved them, his brothers; they were his life, his family, the last strands of his sanity. Even Cid and Weskham, who had both left to go their own ways, remained as close to his heart as they had ever been. Cor – young, small, strong Cor, who had bloodied his hands at an age far too young but who didn't scorn the Crown for the sins of Regis and his father. And Clarus...

Regis didn't even know where to start with Clarus. Unlike their fathers, who had detested each other, the two of them had lucked out. There were no questions between them, no distrust, nothing but the certainty that if it be so, Clarus would willingly lay his life down so that Regis may live on, and the knowledge that Regis would do all in his might to make sure such a day never came.

Unlike Ignis and Gladio, both bound to Noctis on different terms, Prompto might not be a permanent fixture in Noctis' life. Friendships didn't work like that; sometimes they burned out soon after the first kindling, sometimes they shriveled up over the years as the people grew first different and then apart. It was a lesson Noctis had yet to learn, but whether Prompto would become this lesson or not, Regis was – for the time being – glad that the boy had managed to befriend his aloof son. To him, this meant there was hope for Noctis: life without friendship was not a life worth living, and it had despaired him to see his son withdrawing into himself at the age where he should've been out there meeting people and making friends.

Watching the soft expressions on Noctis' face, Regis saw a change coming. His son would likely never be the most social extrovert in the room, but if he at least tried his hand at relationships not decreed by his name – if Prompto could teach him the importance of this – then that alone would be enough to leave Regis a satisfied father.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Noctis confesses his crush - to Regis, not Prompto.

Regis watched Noctis squirm on the pier next to him and tried to find a reason for the obvious discomfort, yet coming up empty; his son had been almost sullen as of late, a gradual change that had prompted the impromptu fishing trip to the sliver of land between the Wall and the sea, but even as the cold hands of worry grasped at Regis' lungs, he could not figure out the answer. Noctis was doing well at school and actually enjoyed attending classes – as much as a teenager _could_ enjoy school – with Prompto. They hadn't had a fallout or a fight of any kind if Ignis and Gladio were to be believed, nor were there any other issues troubling Noctis, or so Regis had thought, until his son returned to his old, withdrawn self.

Obviously there was something wrong; it was merely that none of the most obvious answers fit the riddle.

The sea water glittered in the air as Noctis jerked his lure up and out of the water, startling Regis back to the present. Though there were guards hovering nearby, they were alone enough that the near-constant lack of privacy was not an issue, which had somehow simultaneously helped and worsened the situation. Cloaked in his favorite fishing outfit, Noctis looked like a stubborn, old man refusing to enter a conversation.

Regis had tried being there. He'd tried offering his ears without actually saying it out loud in fear of accidentally pushing his son further away; he'd gone behind Noctis' back to talk to Ignis and Gladio; he'd tried almost everything he could think of, except actually asking Noctis about it.

They were close – or so Regis wanted to believe – yet there was nevertheless a distance between them, built out of missed dinners and the pressure of living up to the weight of their crowns. The media liked to portray the royal life as endless glamor and luxury, but the truth was a wholly different picture. Regis knew life would not be kind on Noctis – as it hadn't been kind on him, either – and he was beyond desperate to ease any of the load already building atop Noctis' narrow shoulders.

”Forgive me if I am wrong,” he mused, eventually, casting sidelong glances at his son, ”but it seems to me you have been quite – _in the dumps_ lately, so to say.”

The reaction was immediate. Even as he shrugged, a deep frown appeared on Noctis' face, his entire face scrunching up in a manner that pulled a deep sigh from Regis. ”'S nothing,” Noctis grumbled, focusing on his lure in a very obvious attempt at getting out of the conversation. ”Just some dumb shit.”

Quirking an unsurprised eyebrow, Regis cast his own line anew. ”Hmm,” he inhaled, ”any chances you would like to tell your poor old father about this 'dumb shit' of yours?”

His words only served to worsen Noctis' scowl. ”I said it's _nothing_ ,” he repeated – the very image of a broody, angsty teenage boy sulking under his father's unwavering gaze. Regis sighed, resisted the urge to roll his eyes, and began to reel in his lure.

”That's fair enough, I suppose,” he amended, even if his brain was screaming at him to continue his intterogation. ”Just as long as you know that if you do need to talk to me about something, I will be there to listen, Noctis.”

Regis watched his line cut through the glimmery sea water while waiting to see whether his words would garner a reaction from Noctis. Next to him, the teenager had already turned his chin down – the dark, lure-spotted baseball cap now hid his entire face from view – and, just like Regis, was focusing on his own fishing rod. As seconds ticked on, the only audible sound was that of their lines swishing through the air and then the tick of the crank pulling the line back in. Soon, however, Noctis began to squirm – at first, shifting his position like his legs were beginning to fall asleep, then fidgeting with the fishing rod while casting sly glances at Regis.

Waiting, wondering, Regis stared straight ahead. Unsure of how to proceed, he felt his nerves flare; he could either continue waiting or try to ease Noctis into talking, but he had no idea which option would be the better one. If he pushed his son before he was ready, then Noctis would likely clam up once more – yet there was still a chance that Noctis was waiting for him to ask what was wrong, and that if he didn't, then the conversation would halt there.

In general, he tended to consider Noctis a relatively easy child to handle; then there were times like this, when he was sure that running a country two decades out of a war was far easier a job than raising children.

Before Regis could make up his mind, Noctis made the decision for him. ”Um,” he started, ”um. Dad.”

Regis swallowed before answering. ”Yes, Noctis?” he asked carefully, trying to sound as calm and attentive and – what was it that he was supposed to do in situations like this? Act supportive, probably; that was almost always the right answer.

Noctis opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. His face was flushed red – in embarrassement, or fear, or something else – Regis couldn't tell. ”I, um,” Noctis tried again after a moment, ”I. I think I'm gay.”

Regis blinked and turned to face Noctis, who was trying his best to shrink into non-existence under his gaze. Something cold and unforgiving grasped at Regis' heart over the sight of his own son glowering before him, but then again, such a small thing was anything but in their world. ”Ah,” he gasped, dipping his chin once; ”I see. So this _is_ about Prompto, then?”

Perhaps his words were the wrong ones, but as soon as he'd heard what Noctis had to say, the idea – the realization – had pushed its way through all the other thoughts spinning round in Regis head and so it was the one thing he commented on. In his mind, there simply wasn't any other explanation for the conversation, because if Noctis was into men then _of course_ he was into Prompto, and because now that he knew what the matter was, he could also spot the most obvious signs of a broody, moody teenager experiencing his first crush.

Noctis did not agree. ”What?” he all but shrieked, throwing his body as far away from Regis as possible while remaining seated right by his side. His expression was one of flustered horrow, a deep blush rising on pale cheeks while his mouth continued to mimich a fish on dry land, opening and closing with only garbled nonsense spilling out. ”I'm not – dad! This isn't – oh my _gods_ , dad, I do not – I'm not – why would you _think_ that I like _Prom_? I don't! Oh my gods, oh my _gods_...”

He trailed off with a dramatic huff and Regis could only smack his lips as he forced himself to remain silent over the matter. A beat of silence passed before he began to speak up once more, and once he did, his tone was much more somber than before. ”We live in a time of peace,” he started, casting a careful glance to see how Noctis would react. ”I have no reason to await another war breaking out within my lifetime.”

Noctis remained silent, his head hung low. He didn't say anything, so Regis continued speaking in his stead, his eyes once again fixed on his fishing line cutting through the soft waves. ”All your life, I have wished for one thing and one thing only: that when the time comes, you will be able to choose your partner on your own, with no restrictions from the Council.” He paused to lick at his drying lips and saw Noctis' knucles turn white around the fishing rod. ”You will need a heir of your own blood, of course, there is no circumventing that issue, but as for your eventual marriage... I truly see no reason as to why you could not make your own decision on the matter.”

Regis hadn't been able to choose, not entirely – but it had not mattered, in the end. Though he'd picked Aulea out of a list of nobles prepared by his father's council, their relationship had been built on a mutual understanding that, towards the end of her life, had began to approach something akin to love. But now, some two or three decades later, the world was nothing like it had been in his youth and unlike his father – always preoccupied by war and death and misery – Regis had the time to focus on the wellbeing of his only son.

For a long while, Noctis was quiet. If Regis thought he head him sniffle, he said nothing of it.

”I do like Prompto,” Noctis confessed eventually, voice quiet and soft. Regis smiled and nudged his side with his elbow.

At first, he entertained the idea of continuing the discussion further, of asking about Prompto in particular – because some fatherly part of him delighted over how easy it was to fluster Noctis – but in the end, he decided against it. It was already on bordering on too much that Noctis had to ponder issues such as marriage and procuring a heir at the tender age of sixteen, but to tease him over what was likely his first real crush... They had time. There was no need for Regis to lay _all_ the cards out at once.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Regis tries his best to console Noctis over the friendship issue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ!!
> 
> This chapter takes place right after the last chapter of the previous fic ("The Time Prompto Accidentally Saved Regis' Life and Everyone Really Enjoyed Making a Huge Fucking Deal Out of It"). If you have not yet read that part, PLEASE do yourself a favor and do it before reading this chapter - this new update will directly reference the events of the previous fic, and I'm slightly worried that some of those references might get lost in translation, lol. 
> 
> That said, please enjoy reading <3

A potion had taken care of the worst bruising, yet the ghost of the pain still lingered when Regis pushed himself too far, the body recalling what the swollen tissue had already forgotten. _A mixed signal_ , he mused, shifting on his plush armchair to relieve some of the pressure on his hip; healing magic was such a rarity that the human body hadn't yet evolved to the point of accepting such aid, not even that of a man heir to the inventor of said magic.

Regis slipped his finger along the curve of a whiskey glass and watched Noctis tumble around the room. That there, the frustrated groans and hands tearing at messy hair, was another mixed signal – or so Regis hoped, having finally had the chance to observe his son and the object of said son's first crush together.

”He just wants to be _friends_ , dad!” Noctis lamented, spinning around to face him with the theatricality of an Altissian soap actor. He appeared seconds away from stomping his foot on the elaborate carpetry imported from Galahd during the first years of Regis' reign. ”He wants to be friends!”

Regis sipped at his drink and spared a moment to simply enjoy the taste blooming in his mouth while he contemplated his next words. Prompto Argentum, now that he'd finally met the boy, was a _marvel_ , a gust of fresh air in the dark hallways full of people reeking of old money and if not of self-importance, then at least a muddled understanding over the lives of the ordinary folk.

It would be a shame if Noctis' feelings weren't reciprocated, Regis thought. Prompto was simply too sweet a boy to pass like that, even if his interest in Noctis didn't run beyond friendship. For a brief moment, Regis mused over the possibility of Prompto falling for either Ignis or Gladio, but no – it didn't sound right either, because one, short breakfast with the four boys all together had been enough to show him where Prompto's loyalties rested. Perhaps Regis could goad Cor into adopting him, if things didn't otherwise work out. Yes, that was an idea...

The dull thud of a body hitting against a plush couch startled Regis out of his thoughts, almost causing him to spill his whiskey all over himself. When he glanced over, he saw Noctis lying face-down on the couch, face pressed into a velvet pillow while his feet kicked at the armrest. ”He doesn't like me,” he was whining, voice muffled by the pillow but high enough that Regis could still make out the words; ”I love him but he doesn't like me back!”

A sigh on his lips, Regis watched him for another moment longer. ”I would _hardly_ say he does not care for you, son,” he spoke eventually, keeping to level tones even as he filled his glass anew. ”If your friendship is the grandest gift he can ask for, then to claim he doesn't _like_ you would only do a disservice to his character.”

On the couch, Noctis rolled over just as Regis swallowed a good mouthful of his drink. As entertaining it had been to watch his son whine and sulk over his chrush, there was nevertheless a certain kind of a misery hanging in the air, one Regis couldn't ignore with good conscience. Noctis – now hugging the pillow to his chest like it could somehow protect him from the pain of onesided love – looked like he was seconds away from crying, a massive change from the petulant child of moments before. As clumsy and awkward as he felt, Regis could not deny the touch of sympathy tugging at his own heartstrings.

”I don't even know if he likes guys,” Noctis murmured all of sudden. ”All he ever talks about is _girls_ and how _pretty_ they are.”

Regis hummed to mask the twitch of a wince pulling at his lips. ”Yes, well – perhaps he likes both?” It was hardly an impossibility, after all, yet the intended comfort hardly reached his words. ”Have you spoken to him about the matter?”

Noctis made a face as if someone had set a platter of steamed kale before him. ”I can't just _ask_ him,” he insisted. ”That's not – you don't just _do_ something like that.”

If pressed, Regis would have no choice but to admit that he'd had a precious little experience in the act of forming a relationship from scratch, without a very handy list of names first prepared by outside forces. He was, however, also fairly sure that asking someone over their sexual orientation was exactly the sort of a thing one was supposed to do when gauging their potential interest, and so he told Noctis exactly that.

Once again, Noctis continued to look absolutely horrified over the thought. ”But it's Prompto,” he insisted after a beat of silence, still cluthing the pillow to his chest. ”I can't – what if he doesn't like me like that, what if he just wants to be friends like he said he wants to be, and I'll just make things really weird between us and – he's my best friend, dad, I don't wanna – I don't wanna–”

He cut himself off drastically, never finishing what he was about to say, but Regis understood him all the same. ”Sounds to me as if Prompto is not the only one here who values your friendship more than everything else in the world,” he spoke softly, sure that if the situation was reversed and Noctis was gifted with one wish, he, too, would only ask for Prompto's friendship over everything else. ”I highly doubt that a simple query over his orientation would be enough to upset him, Noctis. There is, after all, no need to joint the question with a confession.”

Noctis looked thoughtful, a smidge upset, as he mulled over the words. Regis waited, sipping at his drink to pass the time, and prayed for the issue to be resolved as smoothly and kindly as possible. He truly believed that Prompto would accept Noctis' love without cruelty – after the morning's breakfast, he doubted the boy was even capable of such acts – yet at the same time, he could not deny the chance of things growing awkward or tense between them. Prompto was loyal, yes, and clearly devoted to Noctis, but those kinds of feelings didn't automatically translate into romantic love. They were what Regis felt for Clarus and Cor, what Cor and Clarus felt for him – and there was nothing between them but a brotherhood forged on battlefields.

”I guess I could talk to him about it,” Noctis murmured eventually, voice demure and eyes hesitant under his side-swept bangs. A nervous blush colored his face and Regis hummed in sympathy, able to understand Noctis' feelings even if he himself had never felt them. By the time he began to fall for Aulea, they had already been married for what – back then – felt like half an eternity, and he knew that even if his love had not been reciprovated, it wouldn't have been unwanted either.

”You could,” Regis agreed, tipping his glass as he grinned over its rim. ”Or is it really that weird for two friends to discuss what they want from relationships, their futures? I ask, because I recall being your age and listening to Clarus go on and on and on over how much he adored his girlfriend – _not_ that he stopped his lovesick ramblings after the girlfriend became first his fiancée and then his wife.”

This time, his words brought a humored twist to Noctis' lips. Regis didn't know how well he remembered the woman in question, yet not even her passing had been enough to stop Clarus from talking about her – not for good, at least.

Regis smiled even as whiskey flowed into his mouth and watched Noctis watch him back, a mirror of his own smile on his face.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Regis enters a room at a bad time and gets an eyeful of Noctis and Prompto kissing.

It wasn't often that one of the Council meetings was cancelled mere minutes before it was scheduled to begin, but whenever such an occurrence _did_ take place, Regis made sure to milk the event for all it was worth. Though his work was a never-ending list of tasks piling atop each other, on such a short notice, there was no point in trying to reshedule something to cover the sudden gap in his calendar, and so he was left with almost four hours of rare nothingness.

Four hours, for a man whose life was synonymous with his duty, was as good as an eternity. He'd started the break by taking a lenghty walk through the gardens, where little buds of flowers were starting to appear on plants of all colors and sizes; soon, when the spring would turn into summer, the buds would twirl open into fragrant blossoms, starting with the crocuses and hyacinths, ending with sunflowers and the last lilies of the year. For now, though, Regis only saw the promise carried in the thriving plants, in the numerous buds scattered here and there; a new beginning.

At a wrought iron gate sprawling with thorny rose vines, Regis paused and turned around to let his gaze pan the path he'd walked mere moments before. In his youth, he'd known nothing of flowers, only that they were pleasant to look at and gave off strong odors, but then – Aulea had been there, and Clarus' wife, and the balls and the politics, the flowers in their lapels and on their wrists – but then – shaking his head, Regis faced the gate and walked on.

Back inside the Citadel proper, he hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do next. Clarus had already left the building, taking Gladio with him as they drove home for some family bonding with Iris, but Noctis was busy with Prompto, Regis knew, likely still in the training halls. Saturday mornings were when they organized simple self defense lessons for Prompto, and Regis seriously doubted the boys would have stopped just because Gladio left them on their own – especially as he knew what was in Noctis' mind these days. He was fairly sure his son would not pass a chance to spend some time alone with Prompto.

For another moment longer, Regis hesitated. _Should_ he? Was he going to be _that_ father? But then he recalled all the times he'd listened to Noctis whine and moan over his chrush and decided that _yes_ , he _absolutely_ would.

When he pushed the training hall door open, he thought he would perhaps see the two boys in the middle of a series of forms, or enjoying a little break on the sides, or perhaps even grappling on the floor. He did _not_ expect to walk into the room just in time to see his son press Prompto flush against a wall before attempting to ravage his mouth.

A shocked gasp fell from Regis' lips before he could stop himself. ”Oh my!” he inhaled, grasping at his chest in utter surprise, alerting the two boys – men, really, but so young still – to his presence. Prompto's eyes stared at him over Noctis' shoulder, widening in horror, but Noctis had to turn around, to crane his neck until Regis could see the whites of his eyes peeking out from underneath the mess of sweaty bangs hanging on his forehead.

For a beat, they all stared at each other, but then – a flash of blue and the familiar gust of air by Regis' side as something magical zipped past him, out of the open door and far past that. Instinctively, Regis glanced behind himself, speechless – really, Noctis, _really?_ – but when he turned back to Prompto, he saw the blond slump against the wall, his arms dropping down from where they'd been pinned next to his head.

A second later, one hand lifted up to prod at swollen lips. Regis looked away, suddenly very conscious of the fact that he had interrupted what had likely been the first kiss to both Noctis and Prompto – a kiss that, based on both their reactions, had not gone as smoothly as one may have hoped.

”He – he – he?” Prompto stuttered, dropping his hand down once again, only to twist his fingers into knots in front of his chest. ”He did that? He can do m– he can _do_ that?”

Regis closed his eyes. Drew in a long breath and let it out. Opened his eyes to find Prompto staring at him, still clearly horrified, but it was the embarrassed, humiliated kind of horror, rather than that of disgust and unacceptance. The sight of him so openly shocked was a wave of relief washing over Regis, a confirmation that there was yet hope that Noctis' feelings might be returned.

”Yes, Prompto,” he sighed, ”he can do that, as long as _you_ are fine with it.”

Prompto looked down. ”Oh,” he whispered, still anxiously fiddling with his fingers, but there was a new facet to his demeanor, a relevation, that of a blind man seeing for the first time. A soft smile bloomed on his face and he touched his mouth, again. ” _Oh_.”

Something warm and giddy was growing in Regis' chest, along with a worry over Noctis. When he heard the door open behind his back, he was immediately hoping to see Noctis but expecting someone else, and so the sight of Cor's face was a disappointment he was already well prepared for.

Cor paused at the door in confused alarm, his eyes flicking between Regis and Prompto. Regis, seeing his chance, smiled bright and reached for Cor's shoulder. ”Cor, my friend,” he spoke, delighting in the way Cor's earlier confusion transformed into distrust and wariness. ”Just the man for the job! I am afraid Prompto here is in dire need of consoling–”

_”What! No!”_

”–and so, I will be leaving him in your capable hands. A pint of ice cream would be the best remebedy, I do believe – on the Crown, of course.”

Cor did not look happy, but then again he never did. Prompto did not look particularly pleased either – rather, he was back to his white-faced horror, eyes flicking this way and that in search of an exit – but after bidding his goodbyes, Regis slid out of the room all the same, leaving the two on their own. They'd make do, one way or another, he was sure.

Out in the corridor, the smile fell from his face, the previous jesting disappearing as he thought of Noctis. Leaving Prompto on his own had been _truly_ cruel of him, yet – for him to do that in the first place, he must have been horribly upset as well. Regis hurried through the long hallways and sprawling rooms, heading towards the spot where he knew Noctis always retreated to when he felt like licking his wounds unbothered by others: the throne room.

These days, the throne room was hardly ever used, only needed for the numerous ceremonies that cast the rhythm to Regis' year. The grand hall was also closed off from most people, a pair of Crownsguards standing the front doors, the rest of them locked and unused; though the tour guides always brought their groups to the foot of the dais, only the cleaning staff had regular access to each corner of the room. For Noctis and Regis both, who lived with hardly any privacy at all, the throne room was easily one of the very few places in the entire world where they could enjoy a breather without needing to worry about keeping up appearances.

Like he'd expected, Regis found Noctis hiding on one of the balconies overseeing the open floor. The young man knew that no-one would bother him here, and so he never sought out new places, satisfied with the same balcony he'd been using since his childhood.

”Son,” Regis greeted him, stepping through a door that locked itself as soon as it shut behind his back. He meandered over to the balustrade Noctis was leaning against and mirrored his pose, sighing when he felt the heavy stone take some of his weight off his legs. ”Words cannot describe how sorry I am to have interrupted you when I did.”

Noctis didn't say anything, didn't even look at Regis. Then he sniffled, the choking sob turning into a laugh, and leaned his head further into his arms. ”'S not like that was gonna end too well either way,” he murmured, voice barely audible through the tiny gap left between his face and arms. ”Dunno what I was thinking, pulling dumb shit like that.”

Regis sucked in his lower lip and fought the urge to sigh. He pondered his next words, sure that Noctis has misinterpreted the situation just as Prompto had misinterpreted the imaginary set of rules he was to abide by, but he couldn't just say so – couldn't take the risk of _assuming_ that Noctis' feelings were returned when Prompto had not actually confirmed it.

”What makes you think something was going badly?” Regis asked eventually, careful with both his tone and his words. Next to him, Noctis shrugged and sniffled again, wiping at his eyes.

”Dunno,” Noctis murmured eventually. ”He didn't seem too into it.”

Regis winced, glad that Noctis couldn't see his reaction. So Noctis _had_ bypassed the entire confession in favor of the kiss he'd witnessed, which was... not necessarily the best course of action, or even the fairest one, Regis was sure. At the same time, the sight of his son so openly hurting had sent his own heart into overdrive, and kicking a man already down did not seem to be right at the moment.

”Noctis, I... I do not know if you realize this, but Prompto is... To the best of my understanding, he is a boy who has – several times, to my knowledge – doubted whether or not he has any right to stand by your side _at all_ ,” Regis spoke, eventually, watching Noctis' reactions to his words. ”Not as a romantic interest, but as a _friend_. To me, the fact that your friendship is the greatest gift he can ask for means not just his loyalty, but his doubts over his place in your life. I do not wish to give you any unrealistic expectations, but the young man I saw in the training halls... He was confused and surprised, yes, but I do not think the event went over as badly as you think.”

Noctis drew in a shaky breath, his shoulders no longer shaking, but still he wouldn't stand up properly. ”I've _told_ him he's right where he's supposed to be,” he murmured, a touch of frustration seeping into his voice. ”He thinks he's just some dumb pleb, but I've told him I don't care about shit like that.”

Humming low in his throat, Regis reached over to rub circles between Noctis' shoulder blades. ”What I was trying to say,” he commented, ”is this: if Prompto feels that your friendship is something that might get taken away from him without a moment's notice, then would he even _consider_ the possibility of dating you to be within the realm of possibilities?”

The muscles under his palm tensed and Regis huffed, the beginnings of a smile tugging at his lips. ”I guess I didn't think about that,” Noctis admitted, an embarrassed twinge to his voice. ”I just – I just thought he didn't want me, not that – that he didn't think it possible.”

Regis patted Noctis' back a few times before retracting his hand. ”Perhaps you should try talking things out with poor Prompto..?” he suggested. ”Oh, and while you're at it, please do apologize for leaving him on his own in the training rooms – that was _quite_ a cruel thing to do, Noctis.”

Noctis slumped further against the balustrade with a groan. ”I know,” he moaned, ”that was awful! I had you and him both looking at me like I'd grown a second head, and I just freaked out!”

Regis laughed. ”Maybe so, son,” he chuckled, ”but that doesn't change what you did. Also – in case the matter ever becomes relevant again, _please_ reconsider whether or not a surprise kiss is the best manner of confessing your undying love. Now, it seemed to me that _Prompto_ did not mind it _too_ much, but–”

His words were cut off by a fist knocking against his shoulder, accompanied by a thoroughly embarrassed cry of _”Dad!_ ” that reverberated through the entire throne room. Regis threw his head back and laughed, mirth booming from deep inside his chest as the worry from moments before was replaced. Noctis wasn't all in the clear yet, but there was a new hope growing between him and Prompto, one that Regis was beyond delighted to have witnessed – both because he loved his son more than he loved his kingdom, but also because he, too, had come to adore Prompto with all his heart.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Regis enters a room at a bad time and gets an eyeful of Noctis and Prompto doing something far worse than kissing.

Some months had passed since the day Regis walked in on Noctis and Prompto's first kiss. Those months marked the turn of summer to fall, but also the change of their relationship from friendship to romance; the day Noctis had blushingly admitted to having finally asked Prompto out had easily been one of the best days in all of Regis' life. In the aftermath of the Council's return to work after the short summer holidays, the sight of his son, sparkly-eyed and smiling softly from the bottom of his heart, had all on its own been enough to melt away the stealthily building stress from Regis' shoulders. Then had become the day when Prompto joined him and Noctis for dinner, blushing even brighter than Noctis ever had, while Regis did his best to keep him talking.

First relationships were hardly ever easy, Regis had been told, so he watched the two huddle together feeling joy over the present and a tentative hesitation for the future. They might break up, yet, or they might not – and in case of the event of the latter proving the end result, Regis first had Noctis talk to Prompto about the realities of royalty, then Ignis, then called him over for a cup of tea to repeat what he'd already been told by the younger two. (The younger three, it had turned out; Gladiolus hadn't been standing around idly either.) Though Prompto's hands shook around the fine porcelain in his hands, he'd visibly fought against the urge to look at anything but Regis' eyes, his resolve hard as steel even when his nerves faltered.

Ultimately, regardless of how things would turn out in the future, Noctis was happy in the present and so was Regis. Prompto was a good first boyfriend, if that was all he would ever be, and Regis could, in true honesty, claim that he liked the boy – young man – well enough to wish that the romance between the two would turn out the more permanent sort.

* * *

The first chills of the approaching winter were beginning to set in when Regis set aside one finished piece of paperwork and reached for the next one, only to realize he had none left. Blinking almost owlishly, he examined the stacks of paper on his desk, the ones he had already completed and the ones not scheduled in till the next week, squashing down the thrill-like hope threatening to bubble straight out of his chest as he searched for something to do. A King's work never ran out, Regis had learned decades before, but out of all the things still spread on his desk and listed on his agenda, none were important enough to start right now – not when he'd be eating dinner in an hour.

As the slightly shocked surprise settled in, so did the bright grin. Regis put his things away with a touch of hurry and stood up, groaning at his aching muscles and cracking joints. Grabbing his cane, he breezed out of his room as fast and smooth as his knee would allow, peeked his head into Clarus' office for a teasing smirk – knowing the other would be busy planning the upcoming Crownsguard training trip – and headed for Noctis' rooms.

As he traveled down the corridors, he was in good enough a mood to hum a little tune whenever he entered a stretch of hallway not occupied by a guard or the occasional Citadel employee. Were he a younger man, he might have been spinning the cane in his fingers, but the sorry state of his knee was one he could not just ignore. Eventually he reached Noctis' chambers, the two guards at the door snapping into attention at the sight of his attention, ready to open the door the second Regis nodded in their direction.

”Thank you,” he greeted them politely, ”my son is in, then?”

”Yes, sir!” one of the guards answered. ”He and Mr. Argentum returned approximately half an hour ago.”

Nodding his head, Regis entered the suite, stepping first into the small lobby visible from the guarded door, and then the actual personal rooms, the door to the living area opening with a slight push of his palm. Though he hadn't expected Prompto to be coming over, he was nevertheless unsurprised to hear he was indeed visiting Noctis – their relationship had grown plenty as of late, with them spending each available moment together. Regis was sure that between his studies and Noctis, Prompto most likely only went home to sleep.

In hindsight, he should have knocked.

He definitely should have knocked, and he realized as much even before his mind truly registered the scene before him. Once his brain finally did catch up with his eyes he stepped back with a strangled sound of surprise, which in turn ended up swallowed under the horrified declaration of ”Dad!” from Noctis and a short gasp of – _gods_ – pleasure from Prompto, who had his back turned to the door and hadn't yet noticed anything wrong with the scenario, who was still happily bouncing away–

”Pardon me,” Regis spluttered, throwing himself out of the room faster than he'd moved in ages. Though he all but slammed the door shut behind himself, he could still hear the muffled sounds of Noctis and Prompto talking to each other in voices rising in strenght and pitch alike.

Regis remained in the lobby only for the short amount of time to fix his expression back into something neutral enough that the guards outside wouldn't be getting too wild with their ideas – though, in the end, as he marched straight past them mere seconds after entering the rooms in the first place, he doubted there was much salvaging left to do.

It was only several turns and corners away from Noctis' rooms that Regis began to slow down, his knee protesting his swift movements and aging lungs already feeling the burn of his earlier rush. As his pace decreased, his thoughts began to race instead, starting with the obvious – and he, having been young and reckless once, couldn't even be mad over it – and ending with evil glee as soon as he saw Ignis walking towards him. He paused, waiting until the young advisor had reached him, then waved him to a stop.

”Ah, Ignis,” he said, only faltering slightly. ”If you are not too busy, would you please let the boys know that I will be expecting them at dinner?”

Ignis eyed him dubiously. ”Of course, Your Majesty,” he agreed. ”I take it Prompto has come over, then?”

”Indeed,” Regis said, faltering to a halt as he tried to ignore the image of anyone coming in any direction whatsoever. Feeling truly evil all of sudden, he continued: ”Actually – perhaps you ought to have them shower first, if you would. I am not sure if they are, ah, appropriate company for a dinner service.”

Next to him, Ignis went rigid, his expression falling into solid stone and the barely-there sneer of a man too proud to beg for death. ”If this is to be my life from now on, Your Majesty,” he spoke, ”then I would like to demand a raise.”

Regis dipped his head. ”I see no reasons as to why you couldn't file the paperwork for it,” he replied amenably, delighting in the subtlest of twitches by Ignis' left eye. ”I am sure the Council will agree, as long as you argue to your best capability, Ignis. Now, I am sorry, but I must be off at once – I trust that I will be seeing you Friday at latest, yes?”

A stony stare. ”Of course, Your Majesty,” Ignis was forced to agree. ”I'll make sure His Highness and Prompto are ready in time for dinner.”

Nodding his head, Regis stepped past Ignis. ”Wonderful.”

* * *

The dinner was an awkward thing. Noctis and Prompto kept their blushing faces fixed down, refusing to look both at Regis and at each other; every time Regis tried to bring them into a conversation, no matter how casual or mundane, they would either fall stubbornly silent (Noctis) or get too flustered to speak up (Prompto). When the dishes were brought out one-by-one, Regis noticed that there seemed to be an unsually large amount of greens on Noctis' plate, of which he hate all, even the broccolis and the asparaguses; when it came for the main course, a chickatrice cutlet crusted with subtly spicy peppers, Regis noted that Prompto's share of the meal seemed to be lacking all seasoning.

He had meant to be embarrassing, but once he actually saw Noctis and Prompto drag their feet into the room, the first sullen and the other smiling like a man held hostage, Regis realized he didn't have it in him to be exert revenge on them. The dinner itself was punishment enough, and Regis doubted Ignis had let them slip free without some sort of a reprimand. He had called Clarus for the materials he'd used to give Gladio the talk when the time for it had arrived, but now... he could get more than enough fatherly mirth from the dinner alone.

* * *

Later that night, when Regis was sure Prompto had left home for the night, he called Noctis into his rooms for a talk they both knew couldn't be put off for too long. If Noctis spent an extra minute or two on the journey between their suites, Regis didn't comment on the matter, simply nodding at the couch from his armchair. Noctis hesitated at the door, gaze fixed on the floor and his nervously twitching feet, but eventually he relented and threw himself down on the couch.

”You were supposed to knock,” Noctis murmured before his body had settled into the plush pillows. ”Gods, dad, you were supposed to knock!”

”And how I wish I _had_ ,” Regis retorted, barely swallowing the grimace threatening to split his face. ”Look, son – I do not care what you and Prompto get up to when you're behind closed doors, but _surely_ you understand that the door has to _actually_ be–”

”It was!” Noctis cut in. ”It was closed!”

”And yet, I walked in.”

”Yes, because you're the only person in this damned building who gets to do that!” Noctis cried out, his hands in the air as angry red splotches covered his cheeks. ”Everyone else knocks! 'Cause that's what you do here, knock!”

Holding onto his breath, Regis sank against the cushioned back of his seat. He rubbed at his beard in a mixture of tired frustration. ”Yes, it was wrong of me to walk in without first announcing my presence,” he eventually admitted, sighing before he continued, ”but it could have been anyone, Noctis, and that is something you must understand. You cannot afford to have your privacy encroached on, not even here at the Citadel.”

The lecture on privacy and public image was one Noctis had heard far more often than should have been necessary, starting at an age when he was too young to understand; it was also one he would never cease hearing about. Regis knew this better than anyone, though based on the forlorn expression on Noctis' face, it appeared he wasn't the only one.

”I know, dad,” Noctis sighed eventually, sweeping a palm over his face and the messy strands covering his eyes. ”I know. I just – it's my rooms, and there are guards at the door for a reason–”

”Guards, who even under orders may be physically unable to stop people from entering,” Regis reminded, cutting Noctis off before he could get started again. He paused, his heart aching over the shadow of pain passing Noctis' eyes, and continued in a voice much softer and kinder: ”How is your relationship with Prompto going?”

The sudden change in topic brought first a surprised frown and then a soft blush to Noctis' face. Regis smiled and leaned his head against his palm, watching as his son's expression softened and grew happier, more open. He'd hardly heard a single negative word about Prompto after the two hard started dating, nothing but the occasional squabble every couple was bound to come by sooner or later. The reality of royal life was a stressor to Prompto, but one he was determined to bear, and Noctis – Noctis was happy, for which Regis was beyond glad.

”It's good,” Noctis murmured eventually, eyes flicking between the carpet and the bookshelves behind Regis' head. ”It's – I really love him.”

The smile on Regis' face deepened. ”Have you told him?” he asked, beyond delighted to see Noctis nod.

”Yeah,” he admitted, still smiling shyly, softly. ”Lots of times.”

”And has he returned the sentiment?”

This time Noctis hesitated, and had Regis not yet met Prompto, he might have worried; but he knew not only the young blond but his history of abandonment, and so he didn't. When Noctis finally answered the question, his voice was quiet, and his eyes sad. ”Not yet,” he spoke, looking up at Regis for a beat before diverting his gaze once more, ”but it's – it's okay. He shows it, and says – things that are as good as, so I just keep on telling him that I love him and hoping that one day he'll have the courage to say it back. Y'know.”

”Oh, I know,” Regis chuckled, the light sounds growing into laughter when Noctis flushed red as a tomato. ”I won't keep you much longer, but please, son... Remember to keep the door locked the next time you decide to get frisky with your young man – not just for privacy's sake, but your poor father's eyeballs.”

Noctis choked on his laughter, chortling like a dying man, and Regis leaned back in his chair with a truly sated sigh and a mental congratulation. As much as he still wished to gouge his eyes out – well, at least something good had followed the sight that still haunted his thoughts.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Prompto cashes in his debt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. If "Prompto cashing in a debt" means nothing to you in the context of this series, please do yourself a favor and (re)familiarize yourself with the previous fic in this series.
> 
> 2\. That said... This is it, folks. The last chapter of the last fic. As soon as I hit the post button, this series will be over for good. When I posted the first chapter, I *never* imagined the amount of attention this series would end up receiving, and though I can't entirely understand what it is that makes this series so much more popular than anything else I've written, I am in awe and flabbergasted all the same. A million thanks to each of my readers, whether you're a quiet lurker or if you've left me kudos and comments; I've watched the hits skyrocker after each and every update, and just.... wow.
> 
> Thanks for sticking with me folks, I'm so happy to know I've managed to write something so many people like <3 For an author, that's the most rewarding feeling of all, so thank you, thank you, thank you! <3

The soft trill of the intercom coming to life brought Regis out of his thoughts, dissolving away memories of the gala he'd attended in Gralea a week prior, and the draft of the thank-you letter at his hands. Sighing, he reached for the intercom buttons, holding down on one of them as he cleared his throat and sat up straighter, the decades-old etiquette lectures instilled into his very bones acting up even in the age of mobile phones and the exhilarating chance of simply keeping the office door shut for once.

”Yes?” Regis asked, glancing at the door and the wall hiding his secretary from his view. It took a few seconds for the answer to arrive; the thick stone walls of the older parts of the Citadel were notorious for interfering with everything technological.

”Mr. Argentum is here to see you, sir,” the secretary's voice crackled over the intercom system. ”Shall I send him in?”

His eyebrows shooting up in surface, Regis glanced at the clock hanging above the fireplace. He hadn't been expecting to see Prompto before the dinner scheduled for the evening, so the sudden appearance at his office door – which Prompto tended to avoid in favor of the study in Regis' personal rooms – was more than a little alarming. Nodding to himself, Regis folded the letter draft and stuck it into the drawer, eyes skimming past the contents of his desk to ensure there was nothing left on it that Prompto wasn't allowed to see.

”Please let him know he's free to enter, thank you,” he spoke, holding onto the intercom buttons. ”Is there anything else requiring my attention?”

”No, sir,” the secretary answered, the beat between Regis' words and her reply long enough for Prompto to creak the door open, causing her voice to echo in a manner that would never cease to bring shivers of distaste down his spine, ”that was all.”

Letting go of the intercom, Regis turned to face Prompto, who had already closed the door and now stood in front of it, hands stuffed deep in the pocket of his hoodie and face turned down. For a brief moment, Regis felt his heart skyrocket, wondered if this was it – if Prompto had decided that too much was too much after all – but then the young man looked up with a wide smile that, despite its usual shyness, was bright and full of excitement.

”Prompto,” Regis spoke, waving a hand at one of the plush chairs by his desk. Seeing the wide smile had relieved some of his worry, yet the visit was unexpected enough that he couldn't rid himself of all his nerves. ”Come, have a seat. Is something the matter?”

For a moment, Prompto hovered at the door, his expression shifting slightly, though openly, in the way the etiquette teachers had been trying to teach him out of. The chuckles spilling from his lips were clearly nervous, as was the way he dug the tip of his left shoe into the floor.

”Noct didn't tell you yet?”

Taken back, Regis shook his head minutely. ”No, I'm afraid not..?”

”Ah.” Prompto cleared his throat and shifted his weight around, opening his mouth to speak before closing it again. He mumbled something unintelligible under his breath, but just as Regis was about to ask him to sit down, to speak up, to do something, he pulled his left hand from the pocket of his hoodie and swished it around before him.

A glint of black metal caught Regis' attention and he stalled, a delighted coo drawing out of his lungs as his hands flew to his heart. He'd known, of course, from the day that Noctis shyly asked for help in picking out the ring, had assumed even _before_ the day they'd pulled out all the jewels in the private collection, yet to actually see it come true... Hasty enough to knock his cane down, Regis stood up from his desk and moved towards Prompto with open arms.

”I'm so happy for you, son,” he laughed, tugging a blushing Prompto into an embrace that was returned shyly, slowly. ”Ramuh's beard, I was starting to think he was getting cold feet already!”

Prompto snorted into the thick folds of fabric on Regis' shoulders. ”Yeah, no kidding,” he said, grinning up at Regis as he stepped backwards and out of the embrace. ”Didn't even tell you! Man, that's one lazy-ass dude I'm – I'm gonna be marrying. Oh gosh.”

Still chuckling deep in his chest, Regis rested his hand on Prompto's shoulder and led him to the sitting area by the fireplace. The same tears he'd blinked away when Noctis finally saw himself ready for marriage were burning at his eyes once more, and he had to glance at the ceiling repeatedly to keep them at bay.

”You know, I found the ring box like... six months ago already,” Prompto said suddenly, cackling in near hysteria as soon as they were both seated. Regis – who had been aware of the long wait – raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair, the ring catching his attention once more.

”Really?” he asked, feeling little else but fondness over the sight of Prompto fumbling with the ring on his hand.

”Uh, yeah.” Prompto ducked his head, still grinning. ”It was on one of the shelves in his closet, like not even hidden behind anything, just sitting there next to his stack of tees and like... I kind of figured it out pretty soon, 'cause he doesn't really do lots of rings, and then – there wasn't anyone else it could be for, yeah? Haha.”

”Indeed.” For a brief moment, Regis simply watched Prompto, seeing the twinkle in his eyes and the red on his cheeks, the excitement and the nerves all bared before him. He'd seen the same expression on Clarus' face before he'd married, and had began to feel something very similar as his relationship with Aulea progressed from an arranged marriage to something resembling love. ”Did you tell him?”

Prompto blinked before bursting out in gleeful cackles. ”Oh, no, no, no...” he laughed, trailing into a brief silence. Shaking his head, he continued: ”He kept on hiding the box in other places after that, like in the kitchen drawers or the laundry room and so on. Iggy found it in the sugar jar once and nearly killed him for it... Anyways, it was starting to get kinda ridiculous so I almost – I thought of taking the ring and just, uh, wearing it? 'Cause I thought he'd never ask otherwise. But then, uh, he did. Yesterday. So, uh.”

While his words ceased, Prompto nodded his head along the last of them, and Regis couldn't help the round of laughter the short tale pulled from him. He'd known Noctis was still biding his time, likely looking for the perfect night, the perfect date, that magical perfect _something_ , but hearing Prompto's half of the story left him laughing so hard his stomach cramped. It was certainly a tale to tell the children – perhaps even a speech for the wedding itself, if Regis was being honest. The public loved seeing the crown prince reduced to a mere mortal, after all, and a little humility had never hurt anyone.

During the silence that ensued, Regis eyed the ring on Prompto's hand, taking in the thick band and the sharp corners around a stone so dark it might just as well have been black as well. He knew Noctis had had changes made to it – it had been too small, perhaps a little too gaudy – but the shape of it was still familiar enough to bring a deep ache to his heart.

”May I?” Regis asked, nodding towards the ring and reaching out. After a short blink of surprise, Prompto dipped his chin and extended his arm out. An old wound reopened deep in Regis' chest and he had to swallow before speaking. ”This was one of Aulea's rings, you know.”

Prompto startled, his palm jerking in Regis' grasp, and only Regis' quick reaction stopped him from pulling back completely. ”Oh, oh, _oh_ ,” he gasped, ”oh gods, I didn't know, is that–”

”It's okay, Prompto,” Regis cut in, smiling kindly at the panicking blond. ”I gave Noctis permission to take it.”

When they'd sat down to examine the entire collection of rings and other jewels from centuries past, Regis – and Noctis as well, most likely – had known there would be little to suit Prompto. Most of the jewels were gaudy and flashy, statement pieces to be worn before admiring crowds, and even the more subtle and sophisticated ones were too large and showy to suit Prompto on a daily base. Huffing a laugh, Regis ran his thumb over the midnight blue stone; that Aulea had chosen to wear this ring over all the others in the collection had been the end result of a very similar problem.

”Oh, okay,” Prompto murmured, sounding a bit unsure, though his hand lost its previous tension and grew lax in Regis' hold. ”Do you – do you want to talk about it?”

The offer was meek and quiet, Prompto clearly hesitant and wondering whether his question was welcome or not. For another moment more, Regis twiddled with the bulky ring, staring down at it lost in the melancholy of memories he'd already began to forget, things painted faint and ghost-like by two decades of time passing.

”I would not have called her a vain person,” he eventually began, voice thin as whisper, ”but she had a love for beautiful things, as much was certain. However, at the time we were wed, Lucis was still at war against Nifflheim, and when our people were suffering outside the guarded walls of the Citadel, there was simply no way for Aulea to continue wearing the most opulent clothes and accessories she owned or dreamed of.”

He paused for a moment and Prompto let out a small sound of – interest, of his willingness to listen, the kind meant to show one was listening and ready to hear more. Lost in thought, Regis stared at their joined hands, stuck on the contrast between young and old, as if it was the first time he was fully seeing his own self and the decades of time and life-sapping magic crystals slowly killing him. He'd been young, too, once – but his youth had been marked by war and death, unlike Prompto's, who had been of the first generation of children to grow in a free world.

”This ring was one of the few pieces we owned that appeared demure enough to not cause an uproar in the people,” Regis continued. His gaze flicked up to meet Prompto's, and he waited for a small nod before returning to his tale. ”It's not particularly gaudy, and from the distance, it appears as if a simple, black band; it was not the ring I gave her on the day we became engaged, but it was the one Aulea could wear, and so she did. I... I believe the ring will suit you well, Prompto, and – though there were a few other rings suitable for this occasion, I am glad Noctis chose this one.”

When Regis looked up, he saw that the blush had returned to Prompto's face. Grinning, he gave Prompto's hand a soft slap before retreating, a quiet groan rolling from his lungs as his aching spine straightened against the plush pillows of his armchair. Feeling little else but fondness, Regis eyed the young man who had helped his son grow into someone happy and confident.

”Thank you,” Prompto murmured, already back to fumbling with the ring, the fingers of his right hand finding the metal piece as if guided there by other forces. ”I, uh – Noct really didn't tell you, did he?”

Regis shook his head, not missing the grimace that split Prompto's face. ”I imagine that was his plan when he rescheduled a shared dinner for tonight,” he spoke, slightly humored by the turn of events. ”You've been _hasty_ , my son.”

Prompto laughed nervously and pressed his palms against his face. ”Gods,” he spat out, face red as beets, ”I honestly thought he'd have called you first thing this morning.”

”Alas, I am afraid his morning is yet to appear,” Regis jested, glancing at the clock; it was almost noon, and though logically he knew Noctis had been up for ar least three hours, now, he couldn't in pure honesty claim that being up was the same as being awake when it came to his son.

Chortling laughter echoed in the room, but soon it turned into a deep groan as Prompto threw his head back against the armchair, eyes rolling up to the ceiling. Regis hid his smirk behind a hand and uncrossed his legs, resting his bad knee further out on the floor.

”Well,” Prompto spoke empathetically after a moment, leaning forward a fraction and clapping his hands, ”now that I've gone and ruined everything, uh, I actually did have a reason for coming here? I mean, I didn't think the, uh, engagement would be a reason 'cause I thought you'd know already, but wow, thanks a lot Noct–”

Regis quirked an eyebrow and Prompto paused almost mid-syllable, flushing as he cleared his throat. ”A reason, you say?” Regis repeated playfully, enjoying the flustered sight of his future son-in-law – and wasn't that a thought, now that the plans had actually been put in motion. ”And what might that be?”

Prompto cleared his throat a second time before answering. ”I'd like to cash in that debt,” he spoke, surprisingly firm, though it wasn't the resolve that surprised Regis the most. ”I know I've taken a while but I finally got something good to ask for, so, uh.”

Taken aback, Regis blinked a couple times before nodding slowly. It had been a good few years since the failed assassination attempt and their first meeting, and though the issue of Prompto's reward had long since left the forefront of Regis' thoughts, he'd yet to forget about it alltogether. Over the years, a handful of jokes had been made over the matter, most notably the time when Gladio, after a training session ending with Prompto on his back on the mat and complaining about abuse and misuse of power, had suggested that Prompto simply ask for chocobos to be declared an endangered species; but that had been the extend of discussion on that topic, and to be completely honest, Regis had started to think that Prompto had no interest in receiving his reward.

”Oh?” he asked, leaning forward, elbows on his thighs and chin coming to rest atop his folded hands, ”and what is it that you'd like to ask for?”

Licking his lips, Prompto glanced at the bookshelves full of heavy tomes. Regis, who truly had no idea of what kind of a request to expect, followed his gaze with confusion. The shelves were filled with ancient history and family trees, leatherbound books containing every Lucian law, past or present; subjects Regis had studied since he'd been old enough to read, but also ones he'd fought to rewrite or overturn completely.

”May I?” Prompto asked, tilting his head towards the shelves. He sat at the very edge of his seat, ready to move at a moment's notice, and as soon as Regis nodded he was up and walking towards the old books. He pulled a phone from his pocked and tapped at it a couple times while sliding the glass doors open, one finger trailing along a shelf of very specific law books while his eyes flicked between the phone and the titles. When he found the correct book, he let out a quiet ”a-ha!” and carefully slid one of the older works out of its spot.

Regis knew what it was as soon as he saw Prompto's finger stall next to it, but why Prompto would need that specific book for his reward was a mystery slowly clarifying before him. Still quiet, Prompto returned to his seat with a brief smile in Regis' direction and sat the heavy book open on his lap, carefully flipping through the pages while still relying on his phone and the notebook app Regis could finally glimpse.

”So, I've been talking with Iggy,” Prompto spoke absentmindedly, still turning pages. ”And, uh, at first I used to think I'd just ask for something like, I don't know, fixing some of the less functional laws, like making animal abuse a real big deal or making sure the public health service network would cover things like cancer medication and such, yeah? I mean, that's what I started thinking about after Iggy explained the whole... rewards thing to me.”

Regis nodded slowly. ”Those are the kinds of requests the Council is expecting to hear from you,” he said. A small smirk grew on his face. ”A far cry from the new camera you first asked for, huh?”

Prompto colored, his shoulders hunching up as he held back his laughter. He still continued his search, though he'd slowed down now, most likely a sign of him approaching the law article he was looking for; Regis waited with growing interest and a nervous excitement gnawing at his belly.

”Yeah, so, uh – anyways, a couple months ago Ignis mentioned to me that if I was still serious about sticking together with Noct, then I'd probably find myself in the position where I could work on those kinds of things on my own, yeah?” Prompto continued, pausing to glance at Regis, who nodded. ”So I talked with him some more, and he mentioned that there is a set of laws that are really difficult for the Crown to change, and as soon as I realized what he was talking about, I kind of knew... I mean, there are other laws in this book that need to be updated to this century, but, uh... Here's the law I want overturned. Or at least the part about the marriage.”

Regis extended his hands to take the book from Prompto, who turned it around and carefully thrust it over, leaning in as soon as Regis had had it settled down on his knees to point out the specific passage. In a way, Regis had inferred something like this as soon as he'd seen the book Prompto went for, but the sight of the article still left him chuckling in pleased surprise.

The book on his lap was one of the two volumes containing every single law pertaining to the Crown of Lucis in particular. Most of them were dated so far in the past centuries that their execution would range from extremely old-fashioned to borderline illegal, yet Prompto hadn't been wrong about the difficulty the royal family faced when trying to have them changed.

”If this is your wish, then I will have the law changed,” Regis spoke. ”However, I do feel the need to point out that once your engagement to Noctis is announced, a certain fraction of the population will see your request as a means of making things better for your eventual descendants.”

Prompto nodded, appearing almost grim. Back to fiddling with the ring, he shuffled back into his chair and took a deep breath. ”I know,” he admitted, looking away for a moment, ”but... Back then, when it came up that I literally could just – force Noct into marrying me, just because I'd saved your life on an accident, I seriously felt bad over it? Like disgusted. Nauseous. And I know that in the grand scale of things, it's not... that big a thing, like the chance of a random pleb saving the King again in the future is... not that big, Iggy tells me, but... I really didn't like that thing at all.”

Eyes still locked on the book before him, Regis hummed in acknowledgement, in understanding; the law under discussion was the one mandating that a civilian responsible for saving the current monarch was to be rewarded anything the person could ask for, excluding the crown of Lucis and the Crystal, but including the hand of any of the monarch's relatives – and anyone else in the country, if one truly wished to bend the law that far. Like many other laws, it arose from a past filled with bloodshed and massacre, and was hardly applicable to the present day at all – yet changing it had been near impossible, as the people generally didn't like it when the Crown did something for its own benefit.

”Did Ignis tell you how the Council meeting regarding this issue would go?” Regis asked, glancing up at Prompto, who nodded. ”And you're ready for it?”

He'd have to stand before the King's Council and announce his request for the reward. Compared to many other discussions held in the circular chamber, it would be a fairly short and straightforward one, likely only lasting anywhere between five and ten minutes, most of which would be taken by the secretary writing the request into an actual, passable act; yet the short lenght of the meeting would not negate the fact that Prompto would have to be there, speaking up for himself before a Council not yet entirely in his favor.

”Yeah,” Prompto answered after a moment, hesitating before adding: ”I love Noctis.”

Whatever answer Regis had expected, a love confession over his son was not one of them, and he startled, blinking at Prompto before his expression morphed into a smile wide enough to hurt his cheeks. For years now, Regis had had faith first in Prompto's loyalty towards Noctis, then in the growing love between them, but hearing it spoken out loud was a wholly different matter from witnessing it.

”And I am very glad to hear that.” Regis closed the book and set it on the low table next to him. ”I'll have the schedule arranged, and someone will let you know when the meeting will take place. You should come prepared with a clear declaration of what it is that you want, but there's very little to go wrong and nothing that can stop you from having your way, so there is no need to worry over anything. All in all, I suppose this is a good chance for you to practice the budding politician in you, Prompto.”

Though his laughter was once again a show of trembling nerves, Prompto's expression didn't falter. Regis experienced a fleeting moment of pride over the young man, remembering the blubbering mess of their first meeting, how Ignis had halted Regis' plans on meeting the boy even prior to that, citing nerves and anxiety as the reason. It had been a pleasure to witness firsthand Prompto's journey from there till now, especially after the point where it had began to truly intervene with Noctis'.

”Oh, um, is that – all then?” Prompto asked after a moment. ”Like is it – done? Planned?”

”It is done, for now,” Regis replied kindly. ”Unless there was something else you wanted to talk about?”

”Um, no.” Prompto bunched his hands into fists over his knees and shifted closer to the edge of his seat, ready to stand up. ”I'll, uh, be on my way then?”

”Of course. It was a pleasure talking to you, Prompto – oh, and congratulations on your engagement.” Standing up, Regis reached a hand out for Prompto and pulled him into a hug. ”I am truly proud of you, and glad that I will soon have the honor of calling you my own son.”

Prompto's flustered mumbling was lost first into Regis' coat and then under the shuffling of their feet as they separated, but Regis didn't miss the pleased, if embarrassed smile on his face – expression he was already more than used to, and all but adored seeing on Prompto. As Prompto headed for the door, Regis returned to his desk, groaning as his joints popped and protested after a long period of inactivity, yet as soon as he was a seated, a thought sprung to the forefront of his mind.

”Prompto,” he called, and the other turned at the door, one hand already on the knob, ”the sugar jar, was it?”

Withing seconds, Prompto was laughing from the bottom of his stomach. At his desk, Regis glanced at his writing utensils, already wondering just how many embarrassing references he could fit into the multitude of speeches in his near future.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! <3
> 
> My tumblr is @missymoth if anyone wants to come say hi :)


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